Spring bumper and draft gear



4 She QtS-Sheet l H. H. PANCAKE SPRING BUMPER AND DRAFT GEAR Filed Feb. 24, 1940 July 29, 1941.

8 K. R Y o E mm -m w /Mm m A Herman /7.

4 Sheds-Sheet 2 y 1941. H. H. PANCAKE SPRING BUMPER AND DRAFT GEAR Filed Feb. 24, 1,940

July 29, 1941. H. H. PANCAKE SPRING BUMPER AND DRAFT GEAR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 k m H Filed Feb. 24, 1940 y 29, 1941- H. H. PANCAKE 2,250,600

SPRING BUMPER AND DRAFT GEAR Filed Feb. 24, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q R. Q l ww N Patented July 29, 1941 SPRING BUM'PER AND DRAFT GEAR Herman H. Pancake, BerwickyPa assignor to American Car and Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 24, 1940, Serial No. 320,604

10 Claims.

This invention relates to spring bumper and draft gears in. general and in particular to such gear for use on mine or other industrial cars.

The majority of draft and bumper arrangements have been constructed with the line of draft located above the springs which must resist the draft force, thus imposing an eccentric load on the structure with the result that the structure tends to droop or sag. In some instances the line of draft has been kept in line with the resisting springs by the use of spaced bumpers or interrupted bumper faces but in the majority of cases such constructions are impractical and impossible of use. Furthermore, with such constructions the heavy buff forces cannot be properly absorbed. It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a combined spring bumper and draft gear with the parts so arranged as to cause the bumper to move ini a substantially horizontal plane at all times under both draft and buff forces.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a combined spring bumper and draft gear so arranged as to utilize the coupling pin as a lever of the third class to transmit draft forces to the springs or other resilient means.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a combined spring bumper and draft gear having multiple springs so arranged that the ratio between the draft and bumper capacities can be readily varied within wide limits without affecting the bumper construction.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are side elevational views of a mine car with the improved bumper and draft gear applied thereto and with parts broken away to better disclose the construction;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bumper and draft gear shown in Figure .1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the center line of the bumper but showing the parts in the extended or draft absorbing position; r

Fig. 5 is a front end view of the improved bumper construction;

Figs. 6 and 7 are side elevational views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 but disclosing a slightly modified form of end arrangement;

Fig. 8 is a front end view of a modified form of bumper and draft gear utilizing multiple springs; and shown in Figs. 6, 7;

Fig. 9 isa plan view of the modified construction shown in Fig. 8 with a partbeing in section and taken substantially online 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on line I0I0 of Fig. 8 and showing the parts in normal position;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken substantially on line I l-l l of Fig. 8 but showing the parts in extended or draft absorbing condition;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on line l2-I2 of Fig. 8 and showing the arrangement at the draft receiving springs, and

Fig. 13 is a sectional View taken substantially on line l3|3 of Fig. 12 showingthe relationship between the springs. g

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the improved bumper and draft gear has been applied" to' a' mine car of more Or less conventional'form; having side sills 2 connected together by a central floor 410: cated at a level beneath the car axles 6 upon which the car is supported by means of wheels 8. The axles as shown are short or stub axles supporting the side sills at their inner ends and at their outer ends supporting auxiliary sills l0 connected to the side fioor 'portions I2 to which are connected the sidewalls l4 and ends I6.

Each end of the side sills is joined together by an end structure comprising a deformed Z shaped vided and connected 'to the side sills and to the deformed 2 plate by a vertical backing plate 24, all securely weldedv or otherwise secured together and to side plates 25 by means of which the end structure. may be' riveted or otherwise secured to the side sills. The vertical backing plate is preferably stiffened also by substantially vertically disposed triangular plates 21 welded or otherwise secured to the backing plate and t0 the web portion of'the deformed Z. The vupper and lower platesof the end construction are also connected outwardly of the end of the, car by side closing plates 28, thus forming an open ended cavity for reception of the combined spring bumper and draft gear later to bedescribed.

In order to provide a fulcrum or anchor pointfor'the coupling pin 30 van arlgular shaped plate 32 is provided having its vertically disposed leg 33 extendingthrough a slot in flange 20 of the end member and overlapping the backing plate to which it is securely attached. The'outw'ardf 1y directed leg of this angle member is slotted as at 34 to receive the coupling pin and has a washer or other means secured thereto in order to stiffen the plate at the coupling pin slot. The flange 26 is slotted as at 35, while the lower plate of the end construction is slotted as at 36 in order to receive and permit movement of the coupling pin previously referred to. In some instances it may be desirable to reinforce the angular shaped plate 32 and this may be accomplished as is shown in Figures 6, and 11 by the use of a pressed member 38 attached at one end to the angular shaped plate and at the other end to the web I9 of the endmember. The coupling pin may be of the so-called fixed type as shown in Figure 4 or it may be of'the readily removable type as clearly shown in Figures 6, 10 and 11. Normally, the cars will have a spring bumper and draft gear at one end only, in which case the end structure at the opposite end'of the car will have the space between plate -22',and flange filled with awood block 40 protected by the usual bumper cap 42 with provlsion being made for reception of either a loose coupling pin as shown in Figure 2 or a so-called f xed coupling pin as shown in'Figure '7. 'It will "beob vious that changes inthecar structure and in the end construction are possible, the prime requisite being that space be provided for reception of the combined spring bumper and draft gear now to be described.

, The spring bumper and draft gear as shown in Figures 1 and 3 to 6 inclusive consists of a bumper cap member formed with a curved bumping face 5ll'from which upper and lower flanges 5| and 52 respectively extend rearwardly and have their free edges joined together adjacent the sides by plates 54 securely welded or otherwise secured to" the bumper cap flanges. The central portion of the bumper cap face is preferably reinforced as clearly shown in Figure 3 by a pressing, drop forging or casting 56 securely welded or otherwiseffastened to" the rear surface of the bumper cap faceand the inner surfaces of the upper and lower flanges, thus preventing any distortion of the bumper cap. .The side portions of this reinforcingrmember also provide stops positioning the heads 58 of bolts 60, which bolts extend rearwardly' through the plates 54 (and through the backingplate of the end structure to'be held in I position by nut 62. Springs 64 are provided surrounding the bolts and having one end bearing against the head of the bolt, while the other end bears against the key 66 driven into position between the springjandthe connectingplate 54. In order to prevent turning of the bo'lt'during tightening, of the 'nut a fiat portion 61 is provided, which portion will cooperate with the, slotted holein key 66 to prevent turning of the bolt. In order that the springs may absorb buffing forces circular or other form spacers 68 are provided surrounding the bolts and having their rear surfaces. welded or otherwise secured to the end structure backing plate, while their front edges are adapted to project through connecting plate 5 4a'nd ji'ntocontact' with the keys 66, thus application of a bufling force to the bufiing face will c'ause'inwardmovement of the cap, moving the-bolt inwardly and. compressing the spring againstthe key 66 which is held by the spacers 68 a n d the backing plate. The connecting plate 54iof;the buffer cap can, of course, slide freely alongjthe spacers; The bumper cap reinforcing member 56, previously; referred to, is formed as clearly shown in Figures 1' and 4 with a central portion 10 curved to provide in effect a point of contact between the reinforcing member and the lower end of the coupling pin. It will be seen that as a draft force is applied to the coupling pin through coupling link H, the pin will rock outwardly about flange 32 as a fulcrum with the lower end of the pin bearing against the reinforcing member and causing the bumper cap to move bodily outward. Outward movement of the bumper cap is resisted by the springs 64 being compressed against the head of the bolts by key 66 moving outwardly with the connecting plate 54 of the bumper cap. Since the coupling pin fulcrums adjacent its upper end and as the force applied by the coupling link is between the fulcrum point and the curved surface 10, it acts as a lever of the third class. It is, of course, obvious that the leverage can be changed by changing the, distance between the fulcrum point and point of load application by the coupling link,

but in any case the movement of the bumper cap will be in an outward direction substantially parallel to the direction of the force applied through the coupling link. Furthermore; since the coupling pin will incline downwardly and outwardly under load, it engages the lower curved surface of the reinforcing member tending thereby to partially overcome the weight of the bumper cap and spring assembly.

In the modified form shown by Figures 8 to 13 inclusive a plurality of springs have been used in forming the bumper and draft gears, but the car structure and bumper cap structure is substantially identical with'that previously described and accordingly the same reference numerals have been utilized wherever possible and, there'- fore, the construction will not be again described in detail. The coupling pin has been shown as of the loose or readily removable type instead of the so-called fixed type shown in Figs. 1 and 4, but it is to be understood that either type may be used. In this form the bumper reinforcing member has been enlarged slightly in order that the inner bolts may bear against the reinforcing member. These bolts are surrounded by springs 82' having one end bearing against the bolt head, while the other end bears directly against the endstructure backing plate, with thebolt being held in position by nut 83, thus it will be seen that the inner springs 82 can act only to absorb buff forces. In this form of spring bumper and draft gear the connecting plate 54 has been shortened and is of only sufficient length as to receive the keys 66. The outer bolts which pass through these short connecting plates and keys are identical in construction and arrangement with those shown and described in connection with Figures 1, 4 and 6, and the springs 84 surrounding these bolts act in the same way as'the springs 64 of the previously described form, thus the springs 84 act to receive both draft and bufi forces. It will be obvious'that by varying the capacities of. springs 82 and .84 the ratio of capacities may be readilyvaried merely by chang ing the spring capacities. In other words,.it is possible to obtain aresistance to boning forces of one, two, three or more times the draft resistance or the draft resistance maybe'made greater than the buff resistance if it is so desired, since the coupling pin acts as a third class lever. In assembling the form of bumper shown in Figures 8 t0 13 inclusive the inner springs and bolts will be attached in position after which the preassembled bumper capand outer springs will be pushed into position and the nuts-on the outer bolts .applied, thus resiliently connecting the bumper cap to the end structure.

While the improved spring bumper and draft gear has been described more or less in detail with'reference to two specific forms. thereof, it will be obvious that various modifications and rearrangements ofparts will be possible and all such modifications and rearrangements of parts are contemplated as will fall within the scope of the appended claims which define my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combined draft and bumper gear for cars, the combination of a support connected to the car, a bumper head slidably carried by said support, means resiliently resisting inward and outward movement of said bumper head located between said support and bumper head, a coupler tongue connected to said support and projecting outwardly from the car in spaced relationship to said bumper head, and a coupler pin extending through said tongue and bumper head, said coupler pin moving bodily inward with said bumper head under bufilng forces and pivoting about said coupler tongue as a fulcrum to move the bumper head outward against said resilient means under draft forces applied to said pin.

2. In a combined draft and bumper gear for cars, the combination of a support connected to the car, a bumper head slidably carried by said support, means resiliently resisting inward and outward movement of said bumper head located between said support and bumper head, a coupler tongue rigidly connected to said support and projecting outwardly from the car in spaced relationship to said bumper head, and a coupler pin extending through said tongue and bumper head, said coupler pin pivoting about said coupler tongue as a fulcrum and acting as a third class lever to move the bumper head outward against said resilient means under draft forces applied to the pin.

3. In a combined draft and bumper gear for cars, the combination of a support connected to the car, a bumper head slidably carried by said support, means resiliently resisting inward and outward movement of said bumper head located between said support and bumper head, a coupler tongue rigidly connected to said support and projecting outwardly from the car in spaced relationship to said bumper head, and a coupler pin bearing adjacent its upper and lower ends on said tongue and bumper head respectively, said coupler pin acting as a lever of the third class to move the bumper head outward against said resilient means under draft forces applied to the pm.

4. In a combined draft and bumper gear for cars, the combination of a support connected to the car and including a vertically extending rear wall, a bumper head slidably carried by said support, bolt means anchored to and extending outwardly from said rear wall into engagement with said bumper head, resilient means associated with said bolt means and said bumper head and normally maintaining said bolt means and bumper head in engagement, and a coupler pin fulcrumed on said support and bearing on said bumper head, said pin rocking about said fulcrum under draft forces to move said bumper head outwardly against said resilient means.

5. In a combined draft and bumper gear for cars, the combination of a support connected to the car and including a vertically extending rear port, a plurality, of bolt means, anchored to and extending outwardly from said rear wall into engagement with said bumper head; resilient means associated with said bolt.means,-certain of said resilient means being also associated-with said bumper head and maintaining said bolt means and bumper head in engagement, and a coupler pin fulcrumed on said support and bearing on said bumper head, said pin rocking about said fulcrum under action of draft forces to move said bumper head outwardly and compress said certain resilient means independently of the remaining resilient means.

6. In a combined draft and bumper gear for cars, the combination of a support connected to the car and including a vertically extending rear wall, a bumper head slidably carried by said support, a plurality of headed means anchored to and extending outwardly from said rear wall with their heads in engagement with said bumper head, resilient means associated with said headed means and maintaining the heads in spaced relationship to said rear wall, certain of said resilient means bearing directly on said rear wall and other of the resilient means bearing on a portion of said bumper head to maintain the same in engagement with the heads of said headed means, and a coupler pin fulcrumed on said support and bearing on said bumper head,

' said pin rocking about said fulcrum under action wardly and compress said other of the resilient means, all of said resilient means being compressed when said bumper head moves inwardly under buff forces.

7. In a combined draft and buffing gear for cars, the combination with a car of a bumper head movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the car under buff and draft forces from a normal position, resilient means opposing such relative motion between the car and bumper head, and a coupling pin fulcrumed on said car and bearing on said bumper head, said coupling pin acting as a lever of the third class in transferring draft forces to said bumper head to move the same outwardly.

8. In a combined draft and bufling gear for cars, the combination with a car of a bumper head movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the car under buff and draft forces from a normal position, resilient means opposing such relative motion between the car and bumper head, and a coupling pin fulcrumed on said car and bearing on said bumper head, said coupling pin acting as a lever of the third class in transferring draft forces to said bumper head to move the same outwardly, and said coupling pin moving bodily inward with said bumper head when the latter is subjected to bufiing forces.

9. In a combined draft and buffing gear for cars, the combination with a car of a bumper head movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the car under buff and draft forces from its normal position, resilient means acting substantially in unison and opposing the inward relative motion of the bumper head under buff forces, a part only of said resilient means acting to oppose the outward motion of the bumper head under draft forces, and means fulcrumed on the car and bearing on said bumper head, said means acting as a lever of the third class in transferring draft forces to said bumper head to move the same outwardly against the opposition of said part of the resilient means.

10. In a combined draft and buffing gear for cars, the combination with a car of a bumper head movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the car under buff and draft forces from its normal position, resilient means acting substantially in unison and opposing the inward relative motion of the bumper head under buff forces, a part only of said resilient means acting to oppose the outward motion of the bumper head 

